A Portfolio Review of EAR Seismology and Geodesy Instrumentation
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1 Recommendations for Enabling Earth Science Through NSF’s Geophysical Facility – A Portfolio Review of EAR Seismology and Geodesy Instrumentation FINAL | Accepted and publicly released by the NSF Advisory Committee for Geosciences April 19, 2021 Committee membership: J Ramón Arrowsmith (Chair, Arizona State University), Emily E. Brodsky (University of California, Santa Cruz), Catherine M. Cooper (Washington State University), Julie L. Elliott (Purdue University), David Fee (University of Alaska Fairbanks), Karen M. Fischer (Brown University), William C. Hammond (University of Nevada Reno), Peter La Femina (Pennsylvania State University), Vedran Lekic (University of Maryland), Herbert Wang (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Lindsay Lowe Worthington (University of New Mexico) US National Science Foundation oversight: Margaret Benoit and Lindsay M. Martin This document was prepared at the request of the US National Science Foundation to the Advisory Committee for Geosciences (https://www.nsf.gov/geo/advisory.jsp). Acknowledgements: Thank you to UNAVCO President Rebecca Bendick and Director of Geodetic Infrastructure Glen Mattioli as well as IRIS President Robert Woodward and Portable Programs Manager Kent Anderson for their rapid and thorough responses to the committee queries. Christopher Crosby (UNAVCO) provided input on geodetic imaging. Jonathan Ajo-Franklin (Rice University), Kent Anderson (IRIS), Jnaneshwar Das (Arizona State University), Rob Evans (WHOI), W. Steven Holbrook (Virginia Tech), and Glen S. Mattioli (UNAVCO) kindly made themselves available for interviews with the committee. We are grateful to Lindsay M. Martin who supported the committee very ably as science assistant from the National Science Foundation. Finally, many thanks to Margaret Benoit (National Science Foundation Program Director) for her careful guidance. Preferred citation: Arrowsmith, J R., Brodsky, E. E., Cooper, C. M., Elliott, J. L., Fee, D., Fischer, K.M., Hammond, W. C., La Femina, P., Lekic, V., Wang, H., and Worthington, L. L., Recommendations for Enabling Earth Science Through NSF’s Geophysical Facility – A Portfolio Review of EAR Seismology and Geodesy Instrumentation, Report to the US National Science Foundation, April 2021. Cover image shows the northern end of the Warm Springs Valley (Nevada/California border area). Cover design and photo by Bill Hammond. Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .........................................................................................................4 Overview ....................................................................................................................................4 Primary Recommendations .........................................................................................................5 CHAPTER 1: RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................................................7 1.1 Overview ..........................................................................................................................7 1.2 Science Challenges ...........................................................................................................9 1.3 Instrumentation and Enabling Technology ...................................................................... 11 1.4 Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 12 1.5 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 28 CHAPTER 2: STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES ........................................................................ 29 CHAPTER 3: CHARGE, BOUNDARY CONDITIONS (FINANCIAL AND DOMAINS), MAJOR COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES ...................................................................................... 31 3.1 Context for the Instrumentation Portfolio Review Committee (IPRC) from the National Science Foundation (NSF) ........................................................................................................ 31 3.2 The Charge ..................................................................................................................... 31 3.3 Boundary Conditions ...................................................................................................... 32 3.4 Committee activities and time frame ............................................................................... 33 CHAPTER 4. SCIENCE CHALLENGES AND DRIVERS ADDRESSED BY GEODETIC AND SEISMIC INSTRUMENTATION ................................................................................... 34 4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 34 4.2. Questions from the Earth in Time report: Alignment with Geodesy and Seismology .......... 35 4.3 Science and technology traceability overview ...................................................................... 45 BOX 4.1: SEISMOGEODESY ................................................................................................. 46 CHAPTER 5. EXISTING INSTRUMENTATION .................................................................... 49 5.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 49 5.2 Existing Foundational Capabilities: Seismology .................................................................. 55 5.2.1. Kinds of measurements and instruments ....................................................................... 55 5.2.2. Permanent and deployable seismic systems .................................................................. 55 5.2.3 Connections to the science questions and challenges ..................................................... 57 5.2.4 Technology evolution: where are we now, what are new developments to be expected in this area in the next decade? .................................................................................................. 58 5.2.5 Complementary or relied upon systems ......................................................................... 59 5.2.6. Facility-related issues including status/age of existing NSF-supported systems ............ 59 5.2.7. Connections to other programs and agencies ................................................................ 59 5.3 Existing Foundational Capabilities: Geodesy ....................................................................... 61 5.3.1 Kind of measurements and instruments ......................................................................... 61 5.3.2 Permanent and temporary deployments of GNSS equipment ......................................... 63 1 5.3.3. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) .................................................................................. 63 5.3.4. Borehole strainmeters .................................................................................................. 64 5.3.5 Laser scanning and photogrammetry-based geodetic imaging ....................................... 64 5.3.6 Connections with science questions and challenges ....................................................... 66 5.3.7 Technology evolution: where are we now, what are new developments to be expected in this area in the next decade? .................................................................................................. 67 5.3.8 Complementary or relied upon systems ......................................................................... 67 5.3.9 Facility-related issues including status/age of existing NSF-supported systems ............. 68 5.3.10 Connections to other programs and agencies ............................................................... 68 5.4 Supporting/Enabling Technologies ...................................................................................... 69 CHAPTER 6. SEISMIC AND GEODETIC INSTRUMENTATION PRIORITIES TO ACHIEVE “EARTH IN TIME” SCIENCE GOALS ................................................................. 70 6.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 70 6.2 Near Frontier: Expansion of current facility/technology capabilities .................................... 71 6.2.1 Large-scale networks of multi-disciplinary geophysical sensors .................................... 71 6.2.2 Rapid response instrumentation/mobilization ................................................................ 72 6.2.3 Broadband seismometers............................................................................................... 72 6.2.4 Cable-free, compact, light-weight seismographs............................................................ 73 6.2.5 Improving geodetic precision ........................................................................................ 74 6.2.6 Data exploration and curation ....................................................................................... 75 6.2.7 Global telemetry ........................................................................................................... 75 6.2.8 Other communication models........................................................................................ 76 6.3 Intermediate Frontier: Further development of existing technologies not yet covered by existing facilities ....................................................................................................................... 76 6.3.1 Transoceanic